


Lavender Dreams

by penna_nomen



Series: Caffrey Conversation [53]
Category: White Collar (TV 2009)
Genre: Aromantic Character, Destination Wedding, F/M, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Pride and Prejudice References, References to Jane Austen, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:34:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/penna_nomen/pseuds/penna_nomen
Summary: When Neal and Sara attend a destination wedding, a friend asks their help in surprising his boyfriend with a proposal. Then the boyfriend reveals his own plans to propose. Surrounded by romance, Sara's dreams turn into gender-bent scenes inspired by Jane Austen novels.
Relationships: Neal Caffrey/Sara Ellis
Series: Caffrey Conversation [53]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/65698
Comments: 4
Kudos: 9





	1. Tolerable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventure begins! Sara, Neal, and Neal's family gather to attend a destination wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the Caffrey Conversation AU, Neal was recruited instead of arrested, and has connected with his Caffrey relatives. See the end of the chapter for a brief list of Caffrey family members.

**Flying west from New York City. May 26, 2006. Friday morning.**

Neal Caffrey sat in the co-pilot seat as his cousin Angela went through the pre-flight procedures. She'd offered to fly her New York family and friends to her West Coast wedding, and the passengers had decided to take turns sitting with the bride-to-be in the cockpit. 

When they reached their cruising altitude, they chatted about the plane at first. Then Angela bit her lip a moment, a sign that she had something on her mind. "Has Eric talked to you yet?" she asked.

Neal shook his head. "About what?" Eric Vasquez was their cousin Henry's boyfriend, and the couple were currently in the cabin of the plane. Neal had chatted with them while waiting to board, and Eric hadn't mentioned anything out of the ordinary.

"He plans to propose to Henry, and he asked my permission to pop the question on this trip. He didn't want me to feel like he was taking away from my wedding." She smiled fondly. Angela was a romantic who clearly liked the idea of her wedding serving to further another love story. "He told me yesterday, and I've had so many ideas since then. I could throw my bouquet to Henry, with a ring in it. Or maybe hide a ring in a piece of cake?"

"Does Eric have a ring?" Neal asked.

Angela blew out a breath. "He didn't say."

"I know you enjoyed your big, public engagement," Neal said. Michael had proposed to Angela at a Halloween party. "But are you sure that's what Eric wants? He seems to me like someone who'd prefer a private setting."

"I didn't ask nearly enough questions," Angela admitted. "I was too busy squealing and hugging him."

"Tell me about Friday Harbor," Neal suggested. "That may spark ideas." Their destination was a small town on an island northwest of Seattle. It was a favorite vacation spot for Angela, but Neal had never been there. She filled him in on the location and they discussed options for a proposal until they heard a knock on the cockpit door. It was Eric's turn to sit in the co-pilot seat.

Neal patted him encouragingly on the shoulder on his way out. Back in the cabin, he sat beside Henry, who was more like a brother than a cousin. Neal maintained a bland expression to keep Henry from getting suspicious, but inside he was grinning from ear to ear.

"I need your help," Henry said. "And you have to promise not to tell Eric."

"What's wrong?"

Henry scowled. "Nothing's wrong. Why would you ask that?"

"Because you're keeping secrets from Eric again."

"This isn't _that_ kind of secret," Henry blithely waved off his tendency to keep Eric in the dark about the risks he took at work. "I want to propose to him."

Neal's eyes widened. "Oh."

"You think I shouldn't?"

Sometimes actions spoke more loudly than words, and Neal reached over to hug him before saying, "I think it's an awesome idea. Of course I'll help. What do you need?"

#

**Hotel** **in Friday Harbor. Friday evening.**

"So then Henry told me he wants help scouting out locations that would work for a proposal this weekend." Neal grinned at Sara, who was unpacking her luggage while he sat on the bed in their hotel room. The white, fluffy comforter on the bed contrasted with the dark brown furniture and pale green walls. The artwork over the bed featured a field of lavender. "Each of them is secretly planning to propose to the other." He flopped down, looking up at the ceiling, and laughed. "This is going to be the most fun I've had in ages."

Sara was glad to hear him laugh. Things had been stressful for Neal recently, and he deserved a chance to have fun. But she couldn't summon the same enthusiasm herself. She frowned as she closed her empty luggage, wondering why she wasn't excited for Henry and Eric. She'd been thrilled when their friends Richard and Travis had exchanged rings a few months ago. What was different now?

It must be jet lag, she told herself. She'd flown from London to Seattle and then taken a smaller plane to the island. It was an eight-hour time difference. She'd slept on the longer flight, so she was more discombobulated than tired.

She turned her attention to the wigs on the bureau. At the end of last year, she and Neal had been dating in secret, gradually leaving clues for their friends. The wigs had been part of the disguises they'd used in what they'd called the Clueless Con. Angela found the story romantic and had invited them to attend one of the weekend parties in their Alicia and Matthew personas. The names had been inspired by the lead actress in the movie _Clueless_ , and by the actor who portrayed Darcy in last year's _Pride and Prejudice_ movie.

"Do you want to go as our alter egos tonight?" Neal asked. He was sitting up now, watching as she ran a hand over his blond wig.

"I'd rather wait until tomorrow." Sara sat beside him on the bed. "I may want a disguise after karaoke tonight. Does Angela realize that not all of us have bravura singing voices?"

Neal put an arm around her. "I consulted on the song choices. There are a couple of group numbers for those who don't want to sing a solo."

She relaxed and leaned against him. "My hero. Do I know any of the songs?"

"Probably. Angela went with a theme of dreams."

Sara nodded, remembering that Angela and Michael had dressed as Snow White and Prince Charming at the Halloween party where they got engaged. "Their dreams are coming true."

"Including a dream wedding," Neal added.

"I'm glad they're making this weekend something unique," Sara said. "I agree with Angela that traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties are obnoxious."

"Hmmm." Neal seemed lost in thought for a moment. "I wonder what kind of bachelor party Henry and Eric will want."

"They aren't even engaged yet!" Sara protested. "Isn't it a little early to plan a bachelor party?"

"Henry thinks of himself as a man of action, and once he makes up his mind, he doesn't like to wait. I'd be surprised if they don't have a commitment ceremony within six months of getting engaged."

Neal was right. It would be like Henry to push for an early ceremony. That didn't mean she agreed it was a good idea. Rather than say that, she stood up. "I should take a shower." She picked up her smaller bag with toiletries. "Why is dinner at 5pm? That seems so early."

"Partly because half of the guests are adjusting from Eastern time, and partly because some of the guests are bringing children."

Sara started arranging hair care products on the vanity and noticed a complimentary set of items in purple bottles. "I sense a theme here. Lavender-scented sachets in the drawers. Lavender bubble bath, shampoo, and conditioner."

"There's a lavender farm here on the island," Neal confirmed. "That's the other part of Angela's theme this weekend. She says it promotes relaxation."

"Lavender dreams?"

"That's right."

Sara shrugged. She liked the scent, but the soft shade of lavender didn't go well with her complexion and red hair. Fortunately Angela had simply suggested that guests wear purple or green to the wedding, and Sara had an emerald dress that would be perfect.

#

"Welcome to my not-a-bachelorette party!" Angela announced. She stood on a low stage at the front of the room. Neal sat with Sara, Henry, and Eric at a table near the stage. Waiters and waitresses were clearing away the dinner plates. The karaoke equipment was already set up, and Angela held the microphone. "Most of you know that I love music. Like, I'm studying it for my PhD. That's why I want us to spend this evening singing." She beamed out at the audience, the happiest goth that Neal had ever seen. "We're starting with family-friendly numbers, and then the kids will move over to the room next door, where we have Pixar movies on a big-screen TV, beanbag chairs, and semi-healthy snacks. Then things might get a little raucous over here."

Irene Caffrey waved. "Can I be a kid, too? I love movies."

Angela smiled at her grandmother, the retired actress. "Kids at heart are welcome to join the movie room whenever they want." The bride-to-be kicked off the karaoke with "Once Upon a Dream" from _Sleeping Beauty_. Then she turned over the microphone to her grandparents, who harmonized on "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Michael's grandparents followed with "All I Have to Do is Dream."

Next up were aunts and uncles from both sides, with Neal and Angela's Aunt Noelle taking the lead on "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" from _Cinderella_. Grandmother Irene Caffrey showed off her pied piper skills by leading all of the children to the stage, where they attempted "Day Dream Believer" with so much enthusiasm that the song was barely recognizable, but they had fun.

Sara's chair was to the right of and slightly behind Neal's. As the children tromped off the stage and headed to the movie room, she leaned against his back and rested her chin on his shoulder. "I didn't appreciate how much planning you and Angela put into this. Picking songs for multiple generations. Sending the grandparents up first so they get a chance to participate. It's sweet."

Neal squeezed her hand, then turned around and grinned. "Would it ruin the mood if I said I'm having some very spicy thoughts right now?"

She raised a brow. "How spicy are we talking?"

"I've heard it's traditional for bridesmaids and groomsmen to hook up at weddings."

"I'm not a bridesmaid," Sara said, but her wicked smile told him she liked where this was going.

"We both have strong imaginations. I'd be willing to help with a tricky zipper on your dress and see where the fantasy takes us."

"As a matter of fact, the dress I'm wearing to the wedding zips up the back."

Neal hadn't noticed a dress like that. "Would this be the dress you left in a garment bag when you were unpacking?"

Her smile widened. "No peeking. For this fantasy, you shouldn't see it until the wedding day. It'll blow your mind."

And then they would have mind-blowing — Neal's thoughts were interrupted by someone calling his name.

"Neal Caffrey! Can you put a pause on the flirting long enough to rejoin the party?" Angela asked from the stage.

"It's gonna be hard," he said.

"Get up here!" Henry called from the stage.

Angela tried to look stern, but the edges of her frown kept turning upward into the smile she was trying to suppress. "I thought we agreed the innuendo competition started at midnight."

After planting a quick kiss on Sara's lips, Neal joined his cousins on the stage. "I'll be performing 'Nessun Dorma,'" he announced.

Henry scowled. "What the hell is that?"

"It's not on the list," Angela added, bringing chuckles from the audience. Angela was a born organizer and made lists for everything.

"It's perfect," Neal insisted. "It translates roughly to no one will sleep. Because, you know, Angela and Michael won't be sleeping tonight."

Titters came from the audience.

"What?" He widened his eyes in faux innocence. "I mean because there's so much to do before the wedding."

More chuckles. Good. Karaoke worked best when an audience was relaxed and having fun.

"No one is performing any opera stuff tonight," Henry said. "Now that the kids are out of here, things are gonna change. The sweet, mushy stuff is over, and the rest of the night will be loud or obnoxious, or preferably both. Neal and I are treating you to an earworm, and after that everyone will want to perform a different song to get it out of your heads." He picked up his guitar. Henry didn't simply sing when he had an opportunity to play guitar rock star.

"Will our backup singers please join us?" Neal asked. Eric and Sara walked up to the stage and Angela gave them each a microphone.

#

Sara was happy to sing the backup lyrics of Billy Joel's "River of Dreams" with Eric. They both let the men in their lives shine when it came to music, and were content to go along for the ride. Angela joined in, of course. It was a given that the bride was going to indulge herself and join any song she wanted to tonight. In other words, all of the songs.

Angela's college friends from the University of Washington called themselves The Choir Kids and seemed to be mostly performance artists. They laughed at themselves for selecting a theater tune, and then belted out "Impossible Dream." It was obvious they had rehearsed this number more than once before tonight.

Henry and Neal remained on stage, helping set up the music and call up singers. Seated at their table, Sara watched Eric, who watched Henry with his heart in his eyes. Although she and Eric had met several times, it was usually in group settings and she hadn't gotten to know him well. She decided to rectify that tonight, chatting with him between songs. The more they talked, the more she liked him, and she still couldn't put her finger on the reason she worried about his plans to propose to Henry.

Like Angela, Michael had attended the University of Washington for his undergraduate degree. Near the end of the evening his undergraduate and high school friends sang/screamed Aerosmith's "Dream On" much to the delight of Henry, who was still playing his guitar. Then the groom took the stage. "I'm just an adequate singer, so I'm begging everyone to join in on this final song that I selected." His rendition of "You Make My Dreams" by Hall & Oates was the only song Angela didn't sing along with. Her eyes were bright with happy tears as Michael proclaimed in song that she made his dreams come true.

#

**Sara's** **dreams. Friday night.**

It is a truth universally acknowledged that suppressed worries will manifest in one's dreams.

It's a mild, blue-sky day and Sara stands at the… station? It seems more like a train station than an airport, and her luggage is an old-timey trunk with modern wheels. Eric is there, grabbing the handle of the trunk and pulling it behind him as she follows.

"Thanks for taking a break from London to visit me," Eric says. With a vaguely British accent?

"I'm looking forward to seeing your new place," Sara replies.

"It's not truly mine. I'm leasing space in the neighborhood where I plan to settle. I want to design and build something of my own."

Eric's an architect, Sara remembers. Of course he wants to put his own stamp on his home.

And in the suddenness of dreams, they're in front of June Ellington's mansion. It's immediately recognizable, but different somehow. "It's new," Sara says, awe in her voice. The mansion had been built in the first few years of the 1900s, but it isn't showing a hundred years of wear anymore.

"A shining star of the French Renaissance Rival," Eric says. "I hope to use it as inspiration."

"That style was in vogue during the Belle Epoque period, one of my favorites for art and fashion," Sara confides. And that statement sounds vaguely familiar. Had they covered this topic at the karaoke party? And now their clothing comes into sharper focus. Again it's a mix of modern and old-fashioned, with a definite Art Nouveau flair. She twirls to enjoy the long skirt spinning around her.

"Sara, it's a pleasure to meet you." There's June, sporting a truly magnificent hat of the period. "I've invited several of our neighbors to dine with us." Like Eric, she has a vaguely British accent.

"I look forward to meeting them," Sara says. But in all honesty she hopes to be left alone to explore the mansion.

And suddenly they're in the mansion's music room, and it's filled with people. Elizabeth Burke is there. She introduces herself and adds, "My husband will be here soon with his kids."

_His_ kids? As in not Elizabeth's?

El must have noticed Sara's confusion. She explains, "Peter is like a mother hen to his team at work. He's obsessed with furthering their careers."

Sara nods. Neal had mentioned going along with annual career planning sessions because Peter insisted. As far as Neal was concerned, having to set a plan for the next five years was a pressure he'd rather avoid. He preferred to play things by ear and see what happened.

Sara supposed she fell somewhere in the middle ground. She liked to have a plan and know her options, and then to have the freedom to adjust when new opportunities arose.

Although lately she leaned more towards Peter's approach. The rumors of her role being outsourced left her craving stability. In fact, what is she doing here on vacation instead of being at work? She should be putting in overtime and collecting as much income as she can in case she ends up without a salary for a while. She should…

A familiar sound catches her ear, and she turns around to listen. Someone is playing a song on the piano, something from the _Pride and Prejudice_ soundtrack. And now several of the guests wear Regency-era clothing. El's mauve gown has an empire waist, Sara realizes. Would Neal be wearing sexy, form-fitting breeches? Would he play Darcy to her Lizzy? Sara nearly buzzes with anticipation.

Drawn by the music, Sara finds Angela playing the piano and singing along.

"That's too sedate," Henry says. "Let's rock this place!"

The song turns into Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" with Henry and Eric singing and acting out the main parts. Others join in the chorus, including Neal, Jones, Diana, and Angela. The four of them are also playing instruments with skills Sara hadn't known they possess. She can't quite tell what the instruments are, because they seem to change each time she looks at them.

She's a bit disappointed that Neal isn't wearing breeches, but he looks handsome in a cream-colored ensemble, with a vest and cravat in a soft blue that matches his eyes. It reminds her of Harold Hill's suits in _The Music Man_. She remembers seeing a straw fedora on a hat stand at the mansion's entry, and it would go perfectly with Neal's look tonight.

Peter introduces himself. Even though this looks like the man she knows, he's not quite the same. He's dressed in a darker version of Neal's suit, and he seems to talk incessantly. "They're all supremely talented," Peter says of the singers. "I think of them as my kids. Henry's the one singing with your friend." He also points out Neal, Jones, Diana, and Angela. "I feel responsible for their careers, and of course networking is important. Meeting Eric is just what they need. He's well-connected."

Sara stiffens. "Eric is here to form friendships, not to be used for his connections."

"Of course, but if you can make friends who have connections, all the better." Peter pauses. "And I understand you're with Sterling-Bosch? That's even more prestigious than Eric's architecture firm."

"I'm not here to make friends," Sara declares, and then winces because she sounds like a reality show contestant. "That is, I'm visiting to support Eric. I won't be here long."

Peter nods in the direction of Henry and Eric. "It doesn't take long to make new friends. Those two have certainly hit it off, and I couldn't be happier for them."

Sara watches them again. Eric and Henry have already developed such a rapport that a casual observer wouldn't guess this is the first time they've sung together.

"I look forward to many duets from them in the future," Peter adds. Others in the room nod in agreement.

Sara gapes at him. "This is a group number, and they've just met. They aren't ready for something as intimate as a duet, not anytime soon."

Peter shrugs. "If it's meant to be, who's to say it's too soon? I knew the moment I met El that we'd make beautiful music together."

_Ugh_. Sara doesn't want to hear these kinds of details from a virtual stranger. Fortunately the song ends and she pulls Eric over to the side of the room, telling him she wants coffee. With the sounds of an espresso maker giving them a measure of privacy, she turns to warn him about Peter's expectations but before she can start, Eric says, "Why didn't you join us, Sara? I know you love that song."

_Loving a song doesn't mean much at a party like this when you have a voice strictly meant for singing in the shower_ , she thinks. But she says, "Your partner has the best voice in the room, and you're monopolizing him."

"He has the voice of an angel," Eric agrees, looking blissful. "But his siblings are talented, too. Why don't you ask Neal to sing?"

No way does Sara want to get entangled with one of Peter's kids. She'd never hear the end of requests for introductions and connections to further their careers. "I'm sure he's tolerable, but you know singing isn't my thing."

Eric shakes his head. "I wish I could convince you, but you have that stubborn look." He glances back toward the stage. "Try to have fun. I'm supposed to sing 'Purple Rain' with Henry."

Sara places an arm on his sleeve to stop him from walking away. "Promise you'll sing with more than just Henry? You said you wanted to make friends. Plural. There are a lot of other singers here who'd love a chance to harmonize with you."

Eric chuckles. "I'll try not to monopolize Henry. Enjoy your coffee." He strides back to the stage.

Sara drinks her espresso, places the empty cup on a tray and turns around, smack into Neal's chest. It's a nice chest. She looks up to be reminded that he has fine, expressive eyes, and she feels abashed. Just because his dad is annoying doesn't mean she should judge Neal and his siblings without even talking to them first. She takes a step back. "Neal. I didn't see you there."

He gives her a smooth smile that doesn't bother to be convincing. "Don't worry. I won't ask you to sing along with me and my merely tolerable voice. You're free to continue lurking in the corners." He pours a cup of espresso for himself and leaves.

_Tolerable_? Sara closes her eyes in annoyance. She'd called Neal tolerable. _I'm Darcy!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This is a fluffy story with four chapters. I plan to post one chapter a week, on Wednesdays. To see the characters, locations, and other visuals, visit the Lavender Dreams Pinterest board.
> 
> As I was writing about Neal going to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, I kept hearing "The island" from season 4 of White Collar, episodes Wanted and Most Wanted. There are several Easter eggs for those episodes in this story, including the straw fedora and cream suit in this chapter.
> 
> Harold Hill was a conman in The Music Man, which is set around the same time that June's mansion was built.
> 
> Friday Harbor is a favorite destination that my mom and I used to visit each summer, and many of the locations in this story are real places. 
> 
> Caffrey family:  
> Edmund and Irene Caffrey are Neal's grandparents  
> David was Irene & Edmund's son, and he was Angela's father. Angela's mother is Paige.  
> Noelle & Meredith were David's twin sisters. They are the mothers of Henry and Neal.


	2. Badly Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time to decorate cakes and enjoy a sugar high! Neal and Sara discuss whether they want to have kids someday.

**Hotel in Friday Harbor. May 27, 2006. Saturday morning.**

Sara opened her eyes with a gasp. _I'm Darcy!_

She sat up, noticing the sound of the shower and the scent of lavender. Had the herb lived up to its reputation for soothing sleep? She'd certainly slept deeply, but the echoes of the dream still disturbed her. Lost in her thoughts, she was surprised to hear Neal wish her a good morning. She looked up to see him dressed in blue jeans and a cream henley-style shirt.

"The shower's all yours," he said, and she finally got out of bed. Twenty minutes later there was a room-service breakfast laid out on the table, and she took a seat beside Neal.

"I had the strangest dream," she said while he poured them coffee, "and now I feel like I should apologize for fantasizing about you in the role of Darcy."

He raised a brow. "That must have been quite a dream."

She told him the bits she could remember, including how dismayed she was to find out she was Darcy. "I mean, he's a romantic figure by the end of the book, but he's so obnoxious at the start that I was really annoyed to find I was in that role."

"Your dream cast Henry and Eric as Jane Bennet and Bingley." Neal frowned. "It never really occurred to me before that Bennet from _Pride and Prejudice_ is the same as my dad's last name. Spelled a little differently, but still, I guess it makes sense that in your dream you associated me and Henry with the Bennet family."

Sara looked down at her plate as she gathered her thoughts. She hadn't wanted to remind Neal of his complicated relationship with his parents. "What stands out to me from the novel was that Darcy interfered with Jane and Bingley's romance. He separated them." She paused to bite into an almond croissant. "Yesterday I wasn't as thrilled as you were about Henry and Eric wanting to propose to each other, but I didn't know why. I think the dream was showing me the answer. I'm worried that they're rushing things."

"They've been living together nearly six months," Neal reminded her.

"But I've been in London most of that time, so to me it feels like they just moved in together. And this is Henry's first serious relationship since he came out."

Neal pushed away the fruit salad he'd been eating. "Are you saying you don't think they should get married?"

She ignored the temptation to quibble about terminology and to point out that same-sex marriages still weren't even legal in most of the U.S. All they could have in New York was a commitment ceremony, not a true wedding. "No, I'm just trying to explain why I had reservations when you first told me about their plans. But then I talked to Eric last night and came away convinced that he's really in love."

"So you'll help scout out locations that would work for a proposal?"

Sara smiled. "We'll find something so romantic that our _Pride and Prejudice_ counterparts would swoon."

Neal grinned back. "Tell me more about how much you admire my fine eyes."

#

After breakfast, Neal and Sara joined other members of the wedding party in kayaking around part of the island. Neal was surprised how cold the water was this time of year, and was grateful for Michael's insistence that participants don waterproof layers over their clothes. Fortunately Michael had rowed competitively in college, as had many of his friends, so each kayak carried at least one person who knew what they were doing.

Neal kept an eye out for potential spots for a romantic proposal. However, most of his attention went to the wildlife. Michael's sister Naomi identified many of birds they saw, and shared her binoculars with the other passengers in the kayak. And then they spied a pod of black-and-white orcas. One swam near them for a time, and then breached, sailing majestically through the air before disappearing underwater and rejoining the pod.

"Wow," was all Neal could say. He'd never experienced anything like it. He looked over to Sara in the kayak next to him, and saw the same wonder in her eyes. It was a relief to be on the same page, after his fears earlier that she was against Henry and Eric getting engaged. Neal had been around the couple enough to know that they had the real thing. They were deeply in love and committed to each other. Of course they should get married.

It had felt weird at first to be compared to Elizabeth Bennet, but he had to admit Sara's subconscious was onto something. Lizzy had been protective of her sister Jane, and Neal felt the same way about Henry. It sucked that it was difficult for gay couples to marry, and he wanted to see true love triumph.

#

Everyone gathered at a restaurant in Roche Harbor for lunch. Michael's family had reserved the entire restaurant, with its sweeping views of the marina. Sara took note of the many sailboats and yachts, wondering if one would be available for Henry and Eric's proposal. After the lunch dishes were cleared away, several caterer's carts were wheeled in, loaded with undecorated cakes. Sara could see there were multiple flavors, and the scents of chocolate, vanilla, and lemon wafted through the room.

As wonderful as it smelled, Sara wasn't hungry. They'd already eaten a dessert of honey-lavender creme brûlée.

Michael walked over to the carts and announced, "Last night we had the not-a-bachelorette party. This is my not-a-bachelor party. Many of you know I have a side hobby of decorating cakes, and I'd like to share that with you. Instead of having one massive cake at our reception tomorrow, we're going to serve a variety of small cakes that we've decorated with you."

While Michael demonstrated basic techniques, his sisters distributed cakes and decorating tools at each table. Neal then showed off the skills he'd learned in leading art classes at Columbia. He offered creative direction, presenting designs and color palettes as inspiration.

At that point, the wedding guests gathered at the front of the room to form teams and to select colors of icing, fondant, and other decorative items. Sara joined Neal's grandmother Irene and aunt Noelle in decorating a gluten-free chocolate cake. Neal and Michael dropped by early, offering advice on techniques. When Angela stopped by their table later to check on them, she started with, "How's it going? I hope you're…" She trailed off as she studied their cake, which featured a lacework of black piping over white icing.

"We thought you would appreciate something goth," Irene said.

"I…" Angela shook her head and started again in a whisper. "Did you sneak a look at my wedding gown?"

Sara's eyes widened. She loved fashion and had been frustrated by the lack of information about what Angela planned to wear for the ceremony. Keeping her voice low Sara asked, "Seriously? You have a goth gown?"

"I refuse to answer any questions about my wedding attire," Angela replied, but she was nearly bouncing with excitement.

Irene squealed. "I knew it! I knew you would want black accents."

"I wouldn't have thought you'd approve," Sara said, surprised at Irene's glee.

"Well, Edmund will need convincing," Irene said, referring to Angela's grandfather, "but I adore a dramatic moment, and goth is all about drama. I'll remind him that she takes after me."

Angela kissed her grandmother's cheek.

"Angela, do you have time to talk about…" Sara paused to confirm Henry was still on the opposite side of the room. "About Operation Tickle Bug?"

Noelle raised a brow at her son's nickname. "Do I want to know what that is?"

Sara froze, wondering if she'd overstepped. She had assumed Noelle knew, but what if Henry wanted it to be a secret?

"Hold on. I'll be right back." Angela walked over to the table where Henry and a group of children were sprinkling green and purple sparkles over a cake. She stood with her hands on her hips and said sternly, "Henry."

He looked up, but didn't say anything.

"Are you eating the cake instead of decorating it?" Angela asked.

He shook his head and swallowed. "No?"

Angela reached forward and brushed crumbs off of his maroon shirt. "Then where did these come from? And why is your cake only one layer tall when everyone else has a two-layer cake?"

"We carved it!" said one of the kids, who was probably riding a sugar high. "And then we ate the evidence."

"Leftovers," Henry corrected. "We ate the leftovers, so it wouldn't go to waste."

Angela tapped a foot, the picture of impatience. "Captain Eric!"

Eric had been seated at a table where a cake was being decorated with fondant dots. He stood up and saluted. "Captain Eric reporting for duty, my lady."

"It's time for you to lead our pirate crew's training," she said.

The kids at the table looked at her with wide eyes.

"All of you kids will dine on a pirate ship this evening. Follow Eric outside for your training."

Eric led the way, picking up a bag filled with child-sized pirate hats. Henry accompanied him, carrying another bag of pirate gear.

When they were gone, Angela smiled at the adults who remained in the room. "While we're on our dinner cruise this evening, the kids will dine on a schooner that will remain at the dock. Eric and Henry have offered to go over basic boat safety with them this afternoon, and they have a few games planned to deal with their excess energy."

"Is that the kids' excess energy, or Henry and Eric's?" Neal asked.

"All of the above," Angela said.

Sara glanced out the window to see Eric and Henry entertaining the kids with a mock sword fight. They made a good team. And good pirates. The couple had dressed the part for a masquerade Sara had attended, and they had looked very convincing.

Angela settled onto a chair at Sara's table. "I think it's time to turn Operation Tickle Bug into a family project."

The casual inclusion of Sara as part of the Caffrey family took her breath away. Angela filled in the others about the "two would-be proposers who don't know they're also would-be proposees."

Irene beamed with delight, and Noelle wiped away a tear, saying, "My little boy. When he came out to me, I worried he wouldn't be… that the world wouldn't _let_ him be… but I was wrong. He's going to be happy, really happy." She gave a gurgly laugh. "Eric's so good for him. They're good for each other."

Noelle was a professor, and highly articulate most of the time, so it was clear to Sara how deeply the news had touched her.

"I need a hug," Noelle announced, and the women at the table embraced her.

#

Neal, Michael, and Angela had circulated throughout the room, offering encouragement and advice to teams of cake decorators. After Angela sent the kids on their way to pirate training, Neal noticed the group hug at Sara's table.

He pulled up a chair. "What's going on?"

"Operation Tickle Bug," Sara said. "I hope Henry didn't ask you to keep it a secret, because I let the cat out of the bag."

"Eric's the only person who isn't supposed to know Henry's plans, and vice versa. The more accomplices the better. It's not like I have any experience in making proposals."

"Not even indecent ones?" Irene asked.

"Mom!" Noelle sounded horrified. "That isn't the kind of question you should ask your grandson."

"Well I'm not a prude," Irene said. "After all, I was pregnant when I married your father." 

Angela eyes widened. "Wow. I…" She trailed off.

"Are you expecting?" Irene asked.

Angela shook her head and frowned. "I wish I were. Michael and I decided to start trying before the wedding, but… No, not yet."

Given how much Angela enjoyed working with children, Neal had already suspected that she and Michael would want to have kids sooner rather than later. But hearing she wanted a baby immediately took him aback. Was she rushing things? He caught Sara's eye, reminded of her concerns that Henry was rushing into a commitment with Eric. Suddenly he too felt that his family members were leaping into the future faster than he was comfortable with.

"You never heard the story about your grandparents' delayed wedding?" Noelle asked Angela.

"No." Angela turned expectantly to Irene. "I'm assuming it's Dad you were carrying when you got married? This feels like something I should know about."

There was a brief pause, as there often was when Angela's father was mentioned. David had died a few years ago, and his absence was keenly felt the closer they got to the wedding.

Irene held Angela's hand and said, "The studio I was working for agreed to host a spectacular wedding if they could use it as part of the promotion for the movie I was starring in. But the filming took a little longer than expected, and then they decided to push back the release, not once, but twice. And, well, the wedding was delayed, but not the honeymoon. Finally I told the producers I was expecting and they either needed to go ahead with the wedding or get a different gown than the one they'd already designed for me." She smiled. "It was a truly spectacular wedding. I thought it worth waiting for, even though Edmund was concerned I'd be carrying a baby down the aisle instead of a bouquet."

They peppered Irene with questions about her wedding, and she cheerfully described the venue and named the celebrities who had attended, including Rock Hudson. Then the conversation turned to ideas for locations where Henry and Eric could propose to one another. It didn't take long to agree on the lighthouse as the ideal spot. The more complicated issue was how to get the couple to the right place at the right time without spoiling the surprise, so that neither man would realize he was about to be proposed to.

Michael broke up the discussion with his announcement that it was time to box the cakes for storage until the wedding reception. Soon Neal and Sara were back in their hotel room, getting ready for the sailboat dinner cruise. As they donned their Matthew and Alicia disguises, Neal said, "I don't know why Angela's announcement took me so much by surprise, but it really threw me for a loop to hear she wants a baby so soon." He shrugged. "Intellectually, I know she and Michael will be fantastic parents. If they get pregnant I'll be happy for them."

Sara looked at him in the mirror as she adjusted her wig. "Are you saying that just to be polite? Because you don't sound happy."

Neal paused in the process of knotting his tie. "So much for my con artist skills. If I didn't sound happy, how did I sound?"

"Worried."

Neal frowned. "I'll be happy for them. Really. But I had this moment of feeling like I'm not ready for… for being an uncle, even if she's ready to be a mom." He removed the tie and started over.

Sara nodded. "I felt the same way when I was invited to a college friend's baby shower last year. Most of those friends are like me, focused on getting established in a career first. I've been to several of their weddings, but she was the first person who I think of as one of my peers to have a child. When I heard the news, there was this voice in my head saying, _so we've reached this stage now_."

That resonated with Neal. He turned around, leaning against the dresser as he watched Sara transform herself into Alicia. "Right. I'm with you on the peers thing. None of mine have kids yet, or have even been talking about it."

"Not to you," Sara said. "Not everyone announces their intention to try to the world at large." She pursed her lips and checked her lipstick, then turned around. "And Peter and El are trying."

Neal shrugged. "Peter's been like a father figure to me. It feels like they're just adding to the family."

"It will be a big change, though. A lot of his attention will be diverted from work and from…"

"And from me," Neal finished.

"Not just you," Sara said.

"Yeah I know, but it does sound like I'm making everything about me today and I like to think I'm more mature than that."

Sara smiled.

"What?"

She stood up and nearly kissed him, then paused an inch away from his mouth.

"Lipstick?" Neal asked.

She stepped away from him. "I love the color with this wig, but it isn't kiss-proof," she lamented.

"I'll have to pine for you all evening," Neal said, placing both hands over his heart. Angela wasn't the only one who'd inherited their grandmother's love of drama.

Sara's warm smile promised she'd reward his pining after dinner.

His thoughts went in a very mature direction, and he needed to cool things down. They only had a few minutes before it was time to go on the dinner cruise. Without his usual finesse he blurted out, "Do you want kids?"

"Oh." Sara's face went blank for a moment, and then softened. "Well, not as urgently as Angela does, but yes, eventually I'd like to have a family. It's…" She shrugged. "I don't see being a mother defining me, though. If it doesn't happen, if it isn't what my partner wants… I'd be disappointed, but not devastated."

"My mom had trouble conceiving. I don't know why, or if the reason would affect me, but it… it made me realize there isn't a guarantee that I could have kids. It made me a little sad." He huffed out a laugh that wasn't amused. "When I was with Kate, I'd assumed that's the direction we'd go. Marriage, kids, white picket fence. So, what I'm trying to say is that I like the idea in the abstract. In the future. But I'm really enjoying what we have now."

"No need to rush to the next phase," Sara agreed.

#

One of the things Neal appreciated about Sara and their relationship was that they could talk about anything. No secrets, no restraints. However… If he could do it over again, he wouldn't have leaped into the do-you-want-kids topic the way he had. He was fine with where the conversation had gone, but the timing wasn't great, because there were a lot of kids attending Angela's wedding. Even though Neal considered himself good with kids, suddenly this weekend felt like one of those stress dreams where you show up to an exam you hadn't studied for.

So when Neal saw a kid on the dock watching the food being loaded onto the dinner cruise sailboat, it was tempting to ignore him. And if the boy had simply been watching out of curiosity, Neal would have walked by. But Neal saw himself in this child.

It wasn't a physical resemblance. The kid was darker than Neal, with brown eyes. But his expression… Neal knew that expression only too well. Hunger, anger, and fear. It was a dangerous mix.

"Neal?" Sara asked with a squeeze of his arm. They'd stopped walking, and she stood waiting beside him.

"Go on ahead," Neal said. "I'll just be a minute." He waited for her to join the line of guests boarding the sailboat, and then Neal made his way to the where caterers were unloading boxes from what looked like a golf cart. He picked up a box with an apron folded on top. He leaned into the breeze as he walked until the apron flew off the box and toward the kid. Then he called out, "Hey, can you…"

The kid caught the apron and carried it to Neal. Now that he was closer, Neal guessed the boy was around twelve years old.

"Thanks. Follow me, will ya? I'll just drop it again if you give it back."

They walked up a different entry than the one used by the guests. Fortunately the catering staff were dressed in beige suits that weren't that different from Neal's. When he acted like he belonged with them, no one questioned it. He placed the box with the others and took the apron. "Thanks," he said again. In these close quarters it was easy to see how threadbare the kid's shirt was.

"Welcome," the kid mumbled. His eyes were roving over the food. Yeah, definitely hungry.

It took Neal back to when he was that age. His mom worked long hours cooking for other people and didn't want to prepare another meal when she got home. For a lot of reasons their roles reversed around that time, and he tried to manage things at home so bills got paid on time and they didn't lose their utilities or water, or even the home itself. The world didn't make it easy for a kid that age to cope with adult responsibilities, and if you asked for help sometimes the cost was too steep. Hunger, anger, and fear. Those had driven Neal to a life of crime, and he was still dealing with the repercussions. It hadn't been easy to pull himself out of that life, and he couldn't have done it without help. Could he make a difference for this kid before it was too late?

"You know much about boats?" Neal asked.

The kid gave him a look that said: _duh, I hang out on a dock all day_.

"C'mon," Neal said, leading the way back to the dock. He didn't glance back, but heard the footsteps behind him. The pirate schooner _Esmerelda_ was nearby, and Neal boarded it with his new friend. Angela and Michael were there, greeting the kids before joining the adult dinner party.

Someone who looked official walked over. "I'm Captain Yasmine," she said. "Is this another member of our pirate crew?"

"He's a local," Neal said. He looked at the kid. "Right?"

The kid nodded. "Yeah."

"I thought he could help you out," Neal added.

Yasmine shook her head. "I can't hire minors."

"No, but you host a lot of kids parties, and you need even numbers for some of your games."

The captain nodded.

"So if a party has an odd number of kids attending, it would really help you out to have a local who can fill in. He'd be doing you a favor. And of course he'd get to eat with everyone else at the party."

Yasmine gave Neal an appraising look. "Were you a pirate in a past life?"

He grinned.

"What's your name, kid?" Yasmine asked.

"Hector."

"Do your parents know where you are?"

"I don't have parents. I live with my brother. He's on the crew of another boat." Hector gestured toward the harbor. "They don't get back till after sunset. I wait for him on the dock sometimes."

"Let's do a trial run," Yasmine said. "We're staying at the dock, so you can keep an eye out for your brother's boat and leave when he's back. Your friend is right. There are a lot of days I could use an extra, if your brother's okay with you helping out." She pointed toward a table with a box on it. "Claim your pirate's hat there, and then find an empty seat."

Hector dashed away.

"How do you know him?" Yasmine asked Neal.

_I used to be him._ "It's a long story."

Seeing that Angela and Michael were on their way out, Neal accompanied them and returned to Sara. She greeted him with a questioning look, but he waited until they were back at the hotel to fill her in on Hector.

Sara kissed him, heedless of the non-kiss-proof lipstick.

#

**Sara's** **dreams. Saturday night.**

Sara isn't surprised to find herself in the Regency era. She half-expects a continuation of her _Pride and Prejudice_ dream.

There's a wedding. Not a surprise, to have that on her mind this weekend. Much of the ceremony seems inspired by Irene's description of her big Hollywood wedding. The bride and groom are younger versions of Irene and Edmund. The officiant looks somewhat familiar, a woman with dark hair, but Sara can't quite place her.

Then Sara's in a house, sitting around a fireplace with Neal and Peter. And Neal's describing the wedding.

Peter's in a… dressing gown? He seems bundled up, as if he finds the room too cold. Neal's finally wearing breeches, and they look as good as Sara had expected.

"Sara?"

She stops staring at Neal's legs and turns her attention to Peter. "Yes?"

"Weren't you saying that there have been too many weddings recently? Irene and Edmund, Henry and Eric, your brother and my daughter?"

Sara likes the idea that Michael is her brother, making Angela her sister-in-law. "Not too many, but enough. I've used up most of my vacation time attending weddings recently. A break would be welcome."

"We need just one more happy couple," Neal says. "When Kate was leading the ceremony, she looked so wistful. I want to find the perfect match for her."

"Neal, it isn't a good idea to meddle in other people's relationships," Sara protests.

He scoffs. "I knew that Irene and Edmund were perfect for each other."

"That was a lucky guess. It doesn't qualify you to be a matchmaker." Seeing Neal's frown, she changes the subject. "I received a letter from Michael and Angela today. They plan to visit soon, with the children."

Neal brightens at this news. "I've missed them, and this will be my first chance to meet baby Emma."

_Emma_. Sara blinks as she recognizes the name and the dream falls into place. It isn't _Pride and Prejudice_ this time. _We're in Emma, and I'm Mr. Knightley._ _Neal is Emma and he's trying to find a match for Mr. Elton, which will go spectacularly badly._ But it wasn't Mr. Elton she'd seen a glimpse of at the wedding.

Who was it leading the ceremony? The woman with dark hair who looked vaguely familiar?

Kate! That's what Neal had called her. The name fills Sara with dread. She sees that Peter has nodded off, and Sara moves to sit next to Neal on the sofa. "Neal, you really don't want to go down this road with Kate."

"Why not? She seems lonely." He smiles, looking beautiful and privileged and a little spoiled, and Sara can't resist him. She almost reaches forward to kiss him, but he turns away to pick up his cup of tea. He sips and then says, "And it's not what you think. I agree that we've had enough weddings. I think what Kate needs is a baby."

Sara nearly chokes on her own tea. "What?"

"Well, a child. A newborn sounds like more work than Kate could handle at the moment. But I met an adorable urchin recently, a little boy named Hector, and I think he would be perfect for Kate. She needs a companion and he needs a mom."

Sara shakes her head. "Kate talks a good talk about being charitable, but you don't see her for who she really is. She wants others to be charitable to her. That's her idea of leading by example. There's no way she'd be interested in an urchin. She's set her sights much higher. Her chosen companion would be someone more like you."

"Hector is special," Neal insists. "And everyone knows I'm not interested in marriage. Kate wouldn't waste her time pursuing me."

_But she would!_ Sara wants to yell. _Kate finds you useful to further her agenda with Adler. And she'll do anything to entangle you in her schemes!_

The scene changes. They're at a party, and it's winter now. Angela is carrying an adorable baby, and two little boys are chasing Michael. "I wish Hector could have been here," Neal says to Sara. "Kate has been so kind to him, and seeing him in this setting," he waves toward the kids playing, "would certainly move her heart to adopt him."

Sara grits her teeth. If Kate has been kind to Hector, it's only been to please Neal.

Kate glides up to them, a vision in blue and white. She looks like she stepped out of a painting of the Madonna. "Do you think Angela would let me hold little Emma?" she purrs. "I adore babies."

"Let's ask her!" Neal declares. He takes her hand and leads Kate to Angela, but turns to wink at Sara, as if Kate's interest in the baby proves she might feel maternal toward Hector.

Isn't it obvious that Kate is angling to make babies with someone wealthy like Neal, not to adopt a penniless orphan?

She glances around the room, hoping to find Peter. He would be a trusted ally to keep Neal from falling for Kate's smooth lines. She spies him across the room and takes a few steps in his direction before a voice catches her attention. It's Mr. Churchill, saying, "My daughter Fiona has written to say she'll visit us in the new year. I'll be so happy to introduce her to everyone at last."

Could this be the solution? Neal's preoccupation with Kate stems mostly from boredom, and he's long been fascinated with stories about Fiona Churchill. Sara changes direction, hoping to tell Neal the news of the mysterious Fiona's imminent arrival.

Then she stops again. Because honestly, she isn't thrilled with Neal's infatuation with Fiona, either. Because…

_Because I want Neal for myself!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hector and a boat called the Esmerelda are more Easter eggs for the Wanted and Most Wanted episodes. Fiona is a character Silbrith introduced, who dated Neal while Sara was involved with Bryan. 
> 
> Thanks for reading! In next week's chapter we'll attend the wedding.


	3. Half Agony, Half Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's time for the wedding! A member of the wedding party has a meltdown, and Neal and Sara meet an aromantic wedding guest.

**Hotel restaurant in Friday Harbor. May 28, 2006. Sunday morning.**

The morning began much like the one before, with Sara bemused by her dream. She was reluctant to describe it to Neal, but of course he wheedled it out of her because he was Neal.

His lips twitched into a smile when she told him who they were this time.

"What?" she asked.

He took a sip of coffee before saying, "As I recall, Mr. Knightley was significantly older than Emma."

Sara threw her napkin at him. "Six months! I'm less than six months older than you!"

"You made such a big deal about it when you found out," he said, laughing as he placed her napkin back on the table.

"It is not gentlemanly of you to bring that up," she announced.

He chuckled. "Based on your dream, I think the more important question is whether you were gentlemanly. Did you ravish me?"

"You have read the story, right?" Sara recalled ogling his thighs and decided not to mention it. "One does not get ravished in a Jane Austen novel."

"Yeah, but your dream was more…" he paused, seeming to search for the right term. "Fanfiction? Based on the novel, but augmented by your imagination."

Sara nodded. "I'll talk to my subconscious about that. I'm sorry to say this dream didn't merit an R rating." But was she sorry? Neal had been too enthralled with Kate, and Sara did not want to see that expanded to include a sex scene.

#

Neal smiled and teased, but he was growing concerned. He and Sara had a healthy fantasy life and weren't shy about sharing and even acting out some of those fantasies. The fact that she was troubled about her dream and unwilling to share the details worried him.

Maybe he should wait. Give her time and a less public setting to request more details. He was about to push his plate away and ask for the check, when suddenly Sara blurted out, "Mr. Elton was Kate."

Neal turned that around in his head. "Okay."

"She was cooing over babies and trying to get you interested and I've never been so jealous in my life."

"Umm." He thought back to their conversation yesterday. "I didn't mean to pressure you when I asked about kids."

"I don't feel pressured. It's just…" She closed her eyes a moment, seeming to collect herself. "You brought it up in the context of Kate. Of wanting to have kids with her."

Neal took a deep breath. "You know I'm glad that didn't happen, right? Me and Kate, we weren't ever going to be right for each other. Kids wouldn't have helped."

She nodded.

The waiter left the check, and Neal scrawled his signature and their room number. When they left the restaurant, Sara turned away from the hotel lobby and walked outside. There was a small green space with benches that overlooked the harbor. The breeze was fresh and birds were singing. It was a lovely day for Angela's wedding.

Sara leaned against the railing, looking toward the ocean. "The thing is, when I said I wanted kids it was… It's true. I've pretty much always expected to have kids someday, and I looked forward to it in a vague way. But I've never wanted them with someone specific. I mean, I never thought about having kids with Bryan, or with anyone else. Then yesterday you asked and I imagined kids with you."

Neal put an arm around her waist. "You can see me as a dad?"

"I can. And it… it tore at my heart that you'd imagined that with someone else." She turned to face him. "And that's stupid. You were in love with Kate. Sure, she wasn't who you thought, but you'd never even met me."

Neal pulled Sara close. "But it was boneheaded of me to mention another woman when asking you about having kids."

"Yeah, kind of," she mumbled into his shoulder.

He rubbed her back. "If I remember correctly, Emma was boneheaded at first, but she got it right by the end."

"It would have gone a lot better if she'd listened to Mr. Knightley."

"Because you're older and wiser."

Sara smacked his arm.

Neal loosened his hold on her and looked into her eyes. "There's one area where I'm far ahead of Emma. I'm absolutely certain who I'm in love with, and I'm not fighting it."

#

The bride and groom had arranged multiple options for wedding guests to pick from on Sunday morning. Neal's grandparents were among those attending services at a local chapel. Sara chose to explore Lime Kiln park with the goal of seeking out Eric as her walking partner. And as she thought those words she decided she was still being influenced by her Jane Austen dreams.

Well, it did feel a bit like a comedy of manners as everyone tried to help Eric and Henry reach the all-important proposal.

Eric looked a bit lost as they climbed out of the shuttle bus that dropped a dozen guests near the park's information center. Sara put a hand on his elbow. "I hope you didn't feel too railroaded into picking this for our destination. We're here on a mission."

"I can't tell you how many people insisted that I come here this morning. And none of them would say why."

"Probably because Henry was around. It's difficult to conspire with you on a proposal destination while keeping it a secret from him. The two have you have been together all weekend."

Eric stared at her a moment, and then a grin blazed across his face. "I was worried Angela and Neal had forgotten. There's so much going on with the wedding, and of course that's the priority."

"It's a few more than Neal and Angela involved now. I'm pretty sure half of the wedding guests are in on it, including Henry's mom."

Eric raised a brow.

"She was thrilled."

"Whew. Okay, what's the recommended location?"

Sara pulled out a map. "The lighthouse. Angela and the guests who've been to the island before agreed it was the best option. The plan is for you and Henry to join me and Neal for a hike early tomorrow morning. Neal and I will linger behind, and you two will reach the lighthouse ahead of us. Today is our practice run, so you know the path."

Eric nodded, and they found the path easily. It didn't seem special at first, walking through a parking lot and past a building that housed the restrooms, but soon they were surrounded by trees and moss and it seemed magical. Signs near the start of the trail provided the names of some of the local flora, and Sara particularly liked the madrona trees with their red, papery bark. After a few twists in the trail, they had their first glimpses of the ocean. A few more twists brought them to an outlook with unimpeded views. There were picnic tables scattered here and there, and Sara made note of them as places she and Neal could linger. Another rocky outlook held several people who were seated on the ground, watching the ocean expectantly.

"Oh!" exclaimed several of them at once. "There!" People pointed. Some stood. Several raised binoculars.

Sara and Eric scanned the ocean. "I see it!" Sara said. There had been a splash, then another. "It's orcas."

The two of them clambered onto the rocks to join the other watchers. As the orcas swam closer and continued to breach, someone in a park uniform called out, "That's Granny!"

"Is that the orca's name?" Eric asked her.

The ranger nodded. "Her official designation is J2, and she's the oldest member of the pod. You can identify individual orcas in J Pod by their fins. Based on what we know, we think Granny's over ninety years old."

"I had no idea they lived that long," Sara said. She and Eric continued watching until the pod changed direction and swam away. Then the pair returned to the trail, where they started getting glimpses of the lighthouse.

"I've never seen anything like that," Eric said. "I thought you had to go out on boats to see whales."

"I wonder if there's a particular time of day that's best for watching them," Sara said. "It would be nice to see that again on tomorrow's hike."

As they neared the lighthouse there was one more rocky outcropping where they paused to take in the view. The historic lighthouse itself was small and cute, and they were the perfect distance for taking a photo of it.

"This is it," Eric said.

"It's what?"

"This is where I want to propose."

Sara stopped looking at the lighthouse and gave her attention to where they were standing. The view in every direction was striking. The lighthouse to their left, the forest behind them, the ocean ahead and to their right. The water sparkled in the sun, and birds frolicked in the shallows.

"Anything seems possible here," Eric explained. "It's clean and fresh and pure. It's a place for new beginnings."

"Then it's perfect," Sara said. It wasn't the location she'd have picked, but this wasn't her proposal. The combination of joy and certainty on Eric's face spoke for itself.

They continued the walk to the lighthouse. The views at the spot Eric had chosen were more picturesque, and the lighthouse itself looked prettier with a little distance. A mist started to fall as they followed the signs that indicated a shortcut back to the information center.

"This is an easier path," Sara said as they took the shortcut. "Less steep and rocky."

"I prefer the rocky path," Eric said. "I think it suits us. Henry and me, that is. It wasn't a smooth path to find each other. As gay men…" he trailed off.

"Not a smooth path," Sara agreed.

"But worth it to get here."

#

Neal hadn't been given an option of how to spend his morning. As a member of the wedding party, he went to the Pelindaba lavender farm for a rehearsal followed by a stop in one of the outbuildings to create flower arrangements. Angela was combining lavender with herbs for her bouquet. Michael's sisters were creating wrist corsages they would wear, while Michael, Henry, and Neal were crafting lavender boutonnieres.

"Any progress?" Henry asked Neal under his breath when the others were in a debate about dried versus fresh lavender.

"We have a consensus on the proposal location," Neal told him.

"Excuse me? A 'consensus'? What, are you a committee now?"

"Is it time for the Operation Tickle Bug update?" Angela called out.

Neal nodded.

"You named my proposal 'Operation Tickle Bug'?"

"It was Sara's idea," Neal said.

Henry leaned back in his seat, giving the rest of the wedding party a suspicious look. "I thought I told you to keep it a secret. How many people are in on this?"

Michael's sisters glanced at each other. "At least twenty," Rachel said.

"I'd put it at closer to thirty," Naomi said.

"You only told me to keep it a secret from Eric," Neal pointed out. "And I'm not exactly experienced in proposals."

"And Neal doesn't know the island," Angela pointed out. "He needed our help."

"My proposal became some kind of wedding entertainment?"

"Think of it this way," Michael added. "It'll be a great story to tell your kids someday, about how all of these people wanted you to have the perfect proposal."

Henry's face went blank. "Kids?"

"Haven't you and Eric talked about that?" Angela asked. "You're both so great with children, I assumed you'd want some of your own one day."

Neal felt a little smug. "Sara and I had the kids talk, and we're not even engaged."

"Oh, how did it go?" Angela asked.

Neal felt heat rising in his cheeks. "A little rocky, but we're on the same page. The point is, we've found a location for Henry's proposal." He turned to face Henry. "Tomorrow morning the two of you will go on a hike with Sara and me." Neal went on to describe the plan.

"A lighthouse," Henry mused.

"It ties into your love of sailing and being on the water," Neal said.

"And the park is a beautiful, seaside location," Angela added. "Perfect for two pirates to pledge their troth."

That put a glint into Henry's eye. "I'm envisioning a pirate-themed wedding."

"One step at a time," Neal said. "Let's get you engaged, first."

#

Sara's walking shoes squished as she entered the hotel lobby. She and Eric had been caught in a downpour while they waited for the return shuttle, and they hadn't been carrying any rain gear. Back on this side of the island it was sunny and bright but her clothes were still soaked. She had her mind set on a shower, fresh clothes, and lunch from room service. She strode toward the hall that led to her room, when she heard something that stopped her in her tracks.

Someone was sobbing in the public restroom off the lobby.

It was almost certainly one of the wedding guests. They'd filled up this hotel and another one a few blocks away. Sara knew from personal experience that weddings brought out a lot of emotions in people. An ordinary wedding was bad enough, but a destination wedding with multiple days of activities focused on the happy couple could hit a single person hard. The first wedding she'd attended after breaking up with Bryan had caused a few tears.

Sara knocked lightly on the door. "Are you okay?"

There was one more gasping sob before the door opened.

Then it was Sara's turn to gasp. She hadn't expected the person crying to be the bride's mother. "Paige, what's wrong?"

Paige Caffrey stepped back to let Sara in, then ran water over a paper towel. She used the towel to wipe her face and reduce some of the redness from crying. "It's Angela's wedding day, and I've been a nonentity for her throughout the whole engagement."

Sara's automatic instinct was to tell Paige that of course she'd been there for Angela, but she stopped herself. Firstly, denying Paige's pain wasn't kind. Secondly, Paige wasn't wrong. Neal had once described his Aunt Paige as a ghost, and that seemed accurate. The woman kind of floated around, rarely making a sound, and didn't seem rooted in reality. The first time they'd met had been last month, and Sara couldn't recall Paige saying anything beyond a hello in the entire weekend they'd spent at Neal's grandparents' home. She wasn't even sure if Paige remembered meeting her.

So Sara thought for a moment before saying, "Listen, we're kind of crowded in here. Why don't we go to my room? We can talk while I get out of these clothes." Sara gestured to her garments that were leaving a puddle on the restroom floor.

Paige nodded. "That would be more comfortable. Thank you, Sara."

Well that answered the question of whether Sara needed to reintroduce herself. "Have a seat," Sara offered once they were inside the hotel room. "I'm going to take a super quick shower and then we can order in lunch. I've heard the crab cakes here are heavenly." She rushed her shower, despite the temptation to linger under the warm water, dressed and then dried her hair so it would look decent when she styled it for the wedding. To her surprise, when she stepped out of the bathroom, there were two room service plates on the table. She hadn't expected Paige to take the initiative of ordering lunch. Sara thanked her as she took a seat across from her at the table. She removed the metal cover over her plate to find that the crab cakes smelled as marvelous as expected. Paige followed her example.

"These are good," Paige said, after taking a bite.

Sara was pleased that Paige was actually talking to her rather than doing the ghost thing. And she recalled that the woman had been more animated at dinner last night than Sara had ever witnessed before. "I hope this doesn't sound weird, but you seem more alive here. At Friday Harbor, I mean." She took another bite of crab while waiting to see how Paige would respond.

Paige nodded. "I feel more… well… more feelings. I've been numb for so long." She finished a crab cake, and then looked up to say, "I thought I was doing the right thing, staying in the house in D.C. It seemed like that's what a widow should do: keep my husband's memory alive in the last place we'd lived together, and support my in-laws. But now that the numbness is fading, I wonder if I've just been a burden to everyone."

"I don't think there's one right way to grieve," Sara said. "It takes time."

"Wallowing in the past probably wasn't the right way for me," Paige said. "I'm finally able to focus on the future now that I'm back here."

"In Seattle?" Sara asked. She remembered that Paige's parents lived in the Seattle area, with a big extended family.

"Yes, and this island. My grandparents lived here, and I spent weeks or even months each summer with them growing up. This was a place where I felt at peace as a child, and I'm finding that's still the case as an adult." She wiped away a tear. "I should thank Angela for choosing this as her wedding location. She's done much more for me than I've done for her this year. Did you know she invited me along when she selected her wedding gown? I don't think I did more than nod occasionally the entire time we were shopping."

Sara suppressed an urge to ask about the gown. She'd see it for herself in a few more hours. "I got to know Angela when I lived in New York. I can tell she loves you and thinks of you often. She doesn't blame you for being hit hard by your grief, and she'll be happy that you're ready to move forward."

Paige huffed in frustration. "It's her wedding day, and when she looks back I want her to remember me as more than someone who's standing around looking lost in the photos. But it's too late to do anything for her now. She managed everything on her own."

Sara smiled. "It would be hard to stop Angela from doing that. She's the ultimate organizer."

A small smile flitted across Paige's face. "True, but I'm sure she would have appreciated having her mother being mentally and emotionally present, rather than having a shell of a woman fading into the background."

"There's something Angela was planning to do alone today," Sara mentioned, knowing Angela had been sad about it. Sara proposed an unconventional idea to an increasingly excited Paige, and they called Angela to get her approval. Both Paige and Angela were crying happy tears as they reconnected over the plan, making Sara teary-eyed, too.

After the call ended, Sara asked, "What are you planning to wear?"

Paige shrugged. "A simple black dress to coordinate with Angela's gown."

"Something you picked in D.C. when you were…" Sara waved a hand in a gesture to encompass Paige's ghostly inattentiveness to the world around her.

Paige nodded. "It's nothing special."

"There's still time to make it special. Fortunately for you I have a talent for this kind of thing. Bring the dress and let's see what we can do."

The dress itself was fine. It fit Paige well, but it wasn't spectacular. Sara knew exactly how to fix that. She called on Eric to pick up a garment she'd noticed in a shop window a few blocks away, and the friendly clerk at the hotel's front desk located sewing supplies. Less than an hour later, Sara was hemming up exactly what Paige needed to make her mother-of-the-bride outfit perfect.

Paige watched with bright eyes. "You're my fairy godmother."

That made Sara laugh. "I grew up at Disneyland, more or less. Mom made costumes for the cast, and I learned from her. You could say that fairytales are in my blood." She paused, remembering walks with her mother through the concession stands. "And Mickey beignets. There is sooo much beignet in my blood."

"You're certainly working magic for me today, and not just with my dress." Paige hesitated a moment, then said in a rush, "I think I should move back here."

Sara removed a pin from the sleeve and placed it in a pin cushion. "To the island?" It was a lovely vacation spot, but Paige was an aeronautics engineer. That seemed like a better fit for a big city.

"My cousin told me the island's airport is looking for help. I could work there while I decide what to do in the long run."

"Let's see how this fits," Sara said. And while Paige modeled the jacket, Sara added, "I can see the appeal of running away to an island to sort through your options."

"But you see it as running away, not a permanent solution."

"That's how it would feel for me, but we're different people. Do what you need and don't worry about what anyone else thinks." Sara ran her hand along the sleeve and placed one more pin in it. "I got my fresh start by going to college a couple of years after Mom died. It pulled me out of myself, and set me on a new path. It sounds to me like you're looking for something similar."

"Hmm." Paige looked at herself in the mirror one more time before handing the jacket back to Sara. "I think you're right."

#

Later that afternoon, Sara took a seat under a white canopy at the lavender farm. The sun was shining, and the shade and breeze were perfect to offset the heat. Eric slid into the seat beside her. "I take it the jacket wasn't for you?" he asked. He looked handsome in a black suit with a sage green shirt and silvery gray tie.

Sara shook her head. "The mother of the bride needed to refresh her look."

Eric frowned. "I'm sure I met her, but I don't remember…" he trailed off.

"Exactly. She faded into the background for a couple of years after her husband died, and decided at the last minute that she wants to be fully present for Angela today. I promise you'll notice her in a few minutes."

The music began, and somewhat to Sara's surprise it was the traditional Handel selection she associated with weddings. Neal walked down the aisle with Michael's sister Naomi, and they took their places on opposites sides of the woman who would officiate the ceremony. Neal wore a white tux with a purple bowtie and lavender boutonnière. Naomi's gown was black with a white lace overlay on the bodice, and she wore a lavender corsage. Moments later Henry and Michael's sister Rachel took their places, dressed the same as Neal and Naomi.

Next came Michael, in a black tux. His father walked down the aisle with him, sliding into a seat in the front row after giving a Michael a hug. This was more along the lines of what Sara had expected. And in another non-traditional note, Michael stood with his sisters.

"Groomswomen?" Eric murmured to Sara.

"Yes. And Neal and Henry are the bridesmen. They're the ones Angela chose, and Michael wanted his sisters with him, so why not let them stand with the people they're truly here to support?"

Eric nodded. "I'd been focused on my relationship with Henry, and I'm just starting to appreciate how much I look forward to joining this family." 

Every child in attendance had been given a bag of flower petals, and the officiant invited them to scatter the petals now. The kids skipped and pranced down the aisle, throwing petals in a rainbow of colors. Then most of the kids returned to their seats. Those who were more likely to squirm through the ceremony were invited to follow a teenaged volunteer to the far end of the lavender field, where they would play games until it was time to eat the cakes.

The music changed, and was an instrumental version of "Once Upon a Dream." The guests stood and turned around to watch the bride. Angela wore a traditional white gown with a fitted bodice and full skirt, but the gown was covered with a top layer of black tulle. Her makeup was dark, but not quite goth. Her bouquet was a combination of lavender and other herbs, and instead of a veil she wore a circlet of lavender and greenery, with green and purple ribbons rippling in the breeze behind her.

Walking Angela down the aisle was her mother. Paige's black dress had a tulip skirt and was topped with the fitted white tuxedo jacket Eric had helped them procure, with black lace Sara had added at the cuffs and crafted into a bowtie. Like the bridesmen, she wore a lavender boutonnière. When they reached the front, Paige selected two of the outer ribbons of Angela's "veil" and tied them in a bow around the inner ribbons, so they wouldn't fly into the bride's face during the ceremony. Then Paige sat in the front row with her parents.

#

After the ceremony, Neal followed the rest of the wedding party to a lavender field for another round of photographs. Then he watched as the guests were photographed.

Angela had invited guests to reuse bridesmaid gowns or tuxes for the wedding, and had suggested green or lavender attire for those who wanted to wear something new or less formal. Sara looked stunning in an emerald green gown, and joined a group of guests who'd worn purple or green for a photo among the flowers. Another photo featured everyone who'd worn a gown, grouped by colors to give the impression of a rainbow. It would be a striking image, and Neal looked forward to having a copy of it. Trust a fellow art student like Michael to pick a photographer with a great eye. However, it did result in a long wait before the reception, as the photographer was a perfectionist.

Finally everyone returned to the white canopy. The chairs had been rearranged around tables, and the cakes the guests had decorated were being set out in a buffet line with savory finger foods and an assortment of beverages. Neal found Sara and joined her in line.

"Is this the dress with the tricky zipper?" he asked her.

She gave him a come-hither smile. "Are you still willing to help me unzip it when the party's over?"

"I am, if you're willing to return the favor. I'm going to need help with these buttons." He gestured toward the line of black buttons running down the front of his pleated shirt.

"Are they tricky?"

"Not normally, but when you're so radiant I can't see anything else."

Sara fanned herself. "Are you sure you don't have practice picking up bridesmaids at weddings? That's quite a line, hotshot."

"Maybe you don't realize how inspiring you are."

They put the flirting on pause when they reached the front of the line and had to choose which cakes to try. Neal selected the spice cake that had been decorated as a sandcastle, and Sara went with a lemon cake that was iced as an impressionist rendering of the lavender fields. They sat at a table with guests they hadn't spent much time with yet, and enjoyed getting to know them. Maya in particular was fascinating. She'd worn a lavender suit with palazzo pants, and was upfront about the fact that she had not brought a date with her. "I'm not seeing anyone," she'd said. "Romance isn't my thing, honestly, and it's been a relief to learn that I'm not the only aromantic in the world. I mean, I'm happy for Angela and Michael. They're great together. It's just not for me."

Sara said, "I'm glad you were willing to attend alone. Sometimes I feel like everyone's staring at me if I go to a restaurant or movie by myself. But why should I have to stay in my flat every night just because I'm in a long-distance relationship? I have every right to go out and enjoy myself."

Maya nodded. "I'm still not entirely comfortable being at a wedding alone, but I'm overcoming the cultural conditioning that I should hide in the corner because I don't have a date."

Neal kept that in mind after Henry led a toast to the bride and groom. As had been planned, Henry handed the microphone to Neal for the next phase of the reception. "Now we'd like to hear from everyone who's willing to share a passion with us," Neal said. He caught Angela's eye and then looked directly toward Maya for a second before adding, "Tell us about how you were introduced to _someone_ or _something_ you're passionate about."

Angela stood up and gestured imperiously for the microphone. "I'll go first," she said. When Neal handed her the microphone, she continued, "I know Michael will say something mushy about when we first met, so I won't bore you with repeating that story. Instead I want to acknowledge my father. I'm sad that he didn't live to see this day, but I'm glad he shared one of his passions with me. He was a pilot, and taught me to fly before I was old enough to get a drivers license. Flying some of you out here from New York made me feel close to him, like for a few hours he was with me on the way to the wedding." She sniffled and held the microphone out to Michael. "Now take this away before I start crying."

Michael was indeed mushy with his story, and then handed the microphone to his sisters. The pattern had been set, with roughly half of the guests talking about an activity they were passionate about, and half describing how they had been introduced to their romantic partner. When the microphone came to Maya she seemed perfectly at ease talking about opening her cafe.

Next was Neal's turn, and he said, "When I was a kid, my mom and I were estranged from the rest of our family. Then Henry came along and told me that there were a whole bunch of Caffreys who would welcome me with open arms. I didn't believe him at first, and I resisted for a few years. I couldn't even comprehend what it would be like to be part of a big family. And now here I am, surrounded by family and friends who are like family, and I'm astounded that I resisted for so long. This is a passion that took me by surprise, and I'm thankful to Henry every day for dragging me into an ever-expanding family of people I love and who love me in return."

He handed the microphone to Sara, curious to hear what she would say. "I'm grateful to Henry, too," she started. "And to his grandparents Graham and Julia Winslow. It turns out the Winslows enjoy matchmaking, and they were certain from the beginning that Neal and I belonged together. Like Neal, I'm stubborn sometimes, and I resisted. I was certain that Neal wasn't mature enough. In fact, I was horrified to learn he's _slightly_ younger than me." Guests chuckled. "And I'd just caught the eye of an older coworker who I was certain was the kind of man I needed."

Neal frowned at the thought of Bryan.

"So I ignored the Winslow matchmakers and brushed Neal off, and that was possibly the biggest mistake of my life. I learned over the next several months that he was more mature than I realized, and maybe I'm less mature than I believed I was. It took much too long for me to admit that we're perfect for each other, and I wish I hadn't made so many wrong turns before I figured that out. The good news is that I truly appreciate Neal now, and I'm passionate about what we have together."

Henry, of course, looked smug about being right. When the reception was winding down, he caught Neal's attention and gestured for him to follow. Outside the canopy, with the music and conversation muted, Henry said, "Why am I the only one planning to propose on this trip?"

Neal's first thought that Henry wanted Eric to do the proposing.

"You and Sara?" Henry continued. "After her speech I'd be down on one knee if I were you."

"Sara deserves her own special place and time. We'll get there when the moment's right."

Henry studied him. "Do you have a plan?"

Neal said nothing.

"It really sounds like you at least have the start of a plan."

"Let's get you and Eric engaged," Neal said. "One couple at a time."

"Can I at least help with the plan?" Henry asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you overcomplicate things. If I need your help, I'll let you know."

"So you do plan to propose to Sara!"

"That's not what I said."

"You do. I can tell."

Neal rolled his eyes. "You're giddy about proposing to Eric tomorrow. Eventually you'll come back down to Earth."

"Probably not," Henry said. "I'll be pretty damn giddy for a long time if he says yes."

"But at least your giddiness will be focused on him. It's just spilling over toward me and Sara tonight because you want to take Eric by surprise with your proposal. Once you're engaged you can be giddy with each other and forget about tormenting me with interference in a romance I have perfectly under control."

"What kind of romance is under control?" Henry asked. "That doesn't sound satisfying at all."

"I know what I'm doing," Neal insisted. "We're taking things at the pace that's right for us."

Henry grinned. "What do you want to bet that Angela throws her bouquet at Sara?"

Later Neal wished he'd taken that bet, because Angela lobbed the bouquet directly at Henry's chest.

#

 **Sara's** **dreams. Sunday night.**

Sara is walking along a dock. It's morning, and the pale sunlight is filtered through a heavy mist.

"What's the hat you're wearing?" Neal asks. He's looking delicious in his tux, bowtie untied.

Sara reaches up and removes an elaborate hat she recognizes from historical movies featuring British naval officers. "I think I'm Captain Frederick Wentworth from _Persuasion_ this time," she says. "And that makes you Anne Elliot."

"I haven't read that one," Neal says. "What can you tell me about Anne?"

"She was persuaded by a mentor to turn down a proposal from Wentworth, and they both pined for each other for nearly a decade before they met again. I think my dreams picked this novel because it's about second chances and making smarter choices when you're more mature."

"Ties into your speech at the reception," Neal remarks.

"Very much so."

"Did I tell you how much I appreciated what you said?"

She blushes. "Yes, you made that abundantly clear after you helped with my tricky zipper."

Neal looks around the dock. The fog is too thick to see anyone else. "Do we have to deal with other characters who're going to get in the way of our reunion?"

"If we're going to be true to the novel, yes, but I think we can skip that part and go directly to our happy ending. Why don't we take this dream to the cozy cabin of my ship and celebrate being wise enough to give each other a second chance?"

"Aye, aye, captain," Neal says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Easter eggs for the Wanted & Most Wanted episodes: Maya was the name of one of the characters in those episodes, and the sandcastle cake is inspired by the sandcastle/sculpture of the New York skyline that Neal created.
> 
> Caffrey Disclosure is the story where Sara learned she's older than Neal, and is also the story that features the Winslow matchmakers suggesting that Sara and Neal made a good couple.
> 
> Thanks for reading! There's one more chapter left, with the conclusion of Operation Tickle Bug, and one more Jane Austen novel featured in a dream.


	4. Seeking Adventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neal and Sara see Operation Tickle Bug to the end, with the proposal they've helped arrange.

**Friday Harbor hotel lobby. May 29, 2006. Monday morning.**

The sun rose shortly after 5am this time of year in Friday Harbor, and the day was already bright when Neal, Sara, Eric, and Henry met at 6:00 in the lobby. Neal was carrying a picnic basket, Eric looked nervous, and Henry was grinning ear-to-ear.

"I rented a car," Henry said, and he led the way to a classic 1950s model, turquoise blue and white convertible. It was in pristine condition and looked like the kind of car that should have a "Just Married" sign hanging on the back. Yesterday Neal had helped Henry create a "Just Engaged" sign, which was hidden in the trunk for now.

"It's beautiful," Sara said. And when Henry turned in her direction to compliment her taste, she plucked the keys from his hands.

"Hey!" he objected.

"Better call shotgun fast if you want to control the radio," she said.

"Shotgun!" Henry called out a moment ahead of Neal.

Neal cocked an eyebrow at Sara. He'd assumed she would want to get Eric and Henry together in the backseat, but she smiled enigmatically before taking her place in the driver's seat. By the time they were headed out of Friday Harbor's quaint downtown, Neal had to agree she'd done the right thing. Eric was a bundle of nerves, and Henry would have noticed if he'd been sitting with him in the back.

Henry turned on the radio and searched for a station he liked. At first he settled on one playing Bon Jovi's "Wanted Dead or Alive." It was a favorite for Henry because it had a guitar part he liked to play, but Sara objected. "That's not what I had in mind for a double date," she told him.

He grumbled but looked for another station. The next one he found announced it was playing oldies, and then introduced "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart." To Neal's surprise, Henry launched into song with Judy Garland, and knew every word. At an instrumental break, Henry said, "This was played at our grandparents' wedding reception, and they asked Angela and me to sing it at their fiftieth anniversary party."

Neal made a mental note to suggest the song be used if Henry and Eric had an equivalent of a wedding reception after their commitment ceremony. The connection might soften Edmund Caffrey toward the event. While Edmund clearly loved Henry and wanted him to be happy, he was still struggling to adjust to the idea of same-sex marriages.

When the song ended, Henry returned to the first station. It seemed they were playing a Bon Jovi marathon, and had moved on to "Lay Your Hands On Me." Of course Henry started singing along again.

Sara didn't object this time. It was apparent that Henry's buoyant mood could only be matched with rock music this morning. Neal joined in, with Eric and Sara adding their voices for the background parts.

The parking lot was nearly empty when Sara pulled in. After they clambered out of the car and raised the convertible roof in case of rain showers, Sara led the way to a path that meandered down toward the ocean. The scenery was spectacular. The trees weren't familiar to Neal, and they grew in interesting shapes. One even reminded him of an octopus, and he pulled out a camera to take a photo for Diana.

Henry paused while Neal took another photo. "Am I going to get commemorative art for a wedding gift?" he murmured as Eric and Sara walked on ahead.

"That one's for me," Neal said. "If I'd come here as a kid, I'd want to climb that tree."

Henry looked tempted to try climbing it, and for the first time Neal saw the nerves behind the ebullient mood.

"Getting cold feet?" Neal asked.

"Getting hungry," he said. Henry picked up the picnic basket Neal had placed on the ground when he started taking photos, and looked surprised as he hefted it. "What's in this thing?"

"Sara thought mimosas would set the right tone. There's a champagne bottle, an orange juice bottle, and fresh raspberries." Neal paused. "And marionberry muffins."

They handed the basket back and forth a couple of times as they navigated the rockier parts of the trail. Soon they reached a picnic table perched under the shade of a cedar, where Sara and Eric waited for them. "Look at the view!" Eric said. It was impressive, Neal had to admit. They were on the edge of a bluff, with expansive views of the ocean. The day was so clear that they could see Canada in the distance. There were a few sailboats out, and kayakers were approaching along the shoreline below.

"I'd like to sail around the island," Henry said after he placed the picnic basket on the table.

"You have time," Neal said. "You could rent a boat this afternoon if you want." Henry and Eric were staying an extra day before returning to New York.

Sara opened the basket and pulled out the mimosa ingredients. Neal acted as bartender, and Eric picked up a muffin and held it out to Henry. "Want one?"

The muffins must have been freshly baked that morning. They smelled divine, and had Neal's mouth watering.

"Sure," Henry said. He took the muffin, but simply held it instead of taking a bite.

Neal and Sara exchanged a look. Not eating something so obviously sweet and delicious was not like Henry. Nerves were definitely getting to him.

"Cheers!" Neal said, holding out champagne flutes to Henry and Eric. He quickly assembled two more mimosas for himself and Sara. "A toast." Neal held up his glass. "To love and romance."

"To love and romance," the others repeated.

After everyone had paused to drink, Sara raised her glass and said, "To Jane Austen and happy endings."

Neal raised his glass. "To Jane Austen and happy endings."

Henry and Eric raised their glasses to clink one more time. "Happy endings I get," Henry said.

"But Jane Austen?" Eric asked.

"Each night since we've arrived on the island, I've dreamed I'm in one of her novels," Sara explained.

Henry, with his degrees in psychology, would normally have pounced on an opportunity to delve into someone's dreams. This morning he looked only mildly interested in pursuing that thread.

Sara told them to keep exploring the path while she and Neal finished setting up breakfast. Henry and Eric placed their champagne flutes on the picnic table and walked toward the 1919 lighthouse. "There's more food?" Neal asked when they were out of earshot. "I thought it was just muffins and mimosas."

"You're right," Sara said. "But if all goes well neither of them will even notice."

They sat side-by-side at the table, splitting their attention between the ocean and the couple walking away from them. Henry and Eric stepped onto a rocky outcrop, and held hands. They were talking, lost in conversation.

Neal pulled out the camera again. He'd brought it to capture this moment. There was the light touch of Eric's hand cupping Henry's face. Then a shout of laughter, a hug, a step away to talk, another hug. Henry stepped away again, too happy to stand still, and he leaped up and shouted. Then he paused, pointing out to the ocean. Eric looked in the direction Henry was pointing and put his arm around his shoulders, pulling Henry close as they watched.

Sara stood to get a better view of the ocean, and pulled Neal's arm. "You have to see this," she insisted.

He put down the camera and focused on the water. There was an orca. No, two orcas. They swam and breached, leaping into the sky in what looked like an epic game of chase. Neal picked up the camera again, hoping he could capture this. Another breach, and a click of the shutter.

And then… the orcas swam toward the island. Closer, and closer. "Are they going to hit the rocks?" Sara asked. It certainly seemed like that was going to happen, but the orcas stopped at what seemed the last possible moment. Neal framed one more photo, of Henry and Eric on the rocks, leaning against each other as they laughed at the orcas' antics below them.

Yeah, Neal was definitely going to paint that scene as a wedding gift.

#

That afternoon, Neal and Sara caught a flight to London. It had felt like a mad rush to get to Seattle and board the plane, but at last they had started a vacation that would be for just the two of them.

"I finally understand why people say they need a vacation from their vacation," Neal said. "That was fun, but exhausting."

Sara smiled. "I'm sure Jane Austen would agree that getting your friends paired up and married off is a lot of work."

Neal reached out for her hand. "Do you mind that we're not moving at the same pace as Henry and Eric?"

"I don't think happy endings should be rushed," Sara said. "Getting there is half the fun."

Neal remembered her initial concerns about Henry and Eric's plans to propose. "Are we going too fast for your taste?"

"It's not too fast or too slow. It's just right, Baby Bear."

Neal groaned at the reminder of his childhood nickname. "Does that mean you're Goldilocks?"

"Wait and see if I decide your bed is just right tonight," she teased.

#

**Sara's** **dreams. Monday over the Atlantic ocean.**

Sara is at Angela and Michael's wedding reception, wearing her green gown. The setting is different, though. Everyone is crowded into June's mansion. As in her _Pride and Prejudice_ dream, she hears Henry and Eric singing. This time the song is "La Bamba" and they're belting it out with the same pure joy they'd had after their proposal, and it's such fun that Sara pauses to listen.

Is she Darcy again? Hopefully they're at a point in the story where she and Neal have worked through their differences. She stands on tiptoes to see over the crowd, and spies him across the room, looking dashing in his tux.

"We need to talk about Neal. What do you know about him?"

Sara is reluctant to lose sight of Neal, but she turns around at the sound of Peter's voice.

To her surprise, Peter isn't wearing a tux or suit for the reception. Instead he's in something that looks like a military uniform, with a few Regency touches. The jacket, for instance, is scarlet.

Who is he? There was a colonel in _Pride and Prejudice_ , as she recalls. Does it matter? She focuses on Peter's question. "Neal is kind, and whimsical, and wildly creative. He's an artist, a sleuth, a charmer. He combines a wicked genius with a child-like impetuosity."

"And he's easy on the eyes, but these are all trifles. I heard he's June's heir."

Sara glances toward their hostess and back again at Peter. June has daughters and granddaughters who would certainly inherit her fortune one day. But the woman is fond of Neal. Would she remember him in her will, in addition to everything she has already done for him? It seems safest to stick with the facts. "June has been very generous to Neal."

"What are his prospects?" Peter asks. "I've supported you in your career, and I expect you to build on that by seeking out an advantageous match."

_He's General Tilney,_ Sara realizes. The story is _Northanger Abbey_ this time. That makes her Henry Tilney, and Neal has to be Catherine Morland. "I'd rather seek a partner I love. Someone who matches my heart."

Peter shakes his head. "You might as well say you prefer to be poor."

Sara chuckles. "Decidedly not. I have expensive tastes, but I'll sacrifice on matters of taste if necessary to have love."

"Don't expect me to come to your rescue if you're poor as church mice," Peter says. "I have others who need my support."

Sara understands. Peter has his White Collar team, and he and El have been talking about having a baby. As much as he cares about Neal, he has a lot of other priorities to balance. She places a hand gently on his arm. "I understand, Peter. Don't worry. Neal's like a cat. He always lands on his feet. You have been the most supportive of bosses and friends, and I promise we see that as a two-way street. We want to support you if you need it."

In the blink of an eye, his uniform transforms into his usual suit, and he's really Peter in personality as well as looks. He seems moved by Sara's words, and he hugs her briefly. "Then what are you waiting for? Go get him."

Sara finds Neal upstairs in his loft. He's sitting at the dining table, eyeing the _Clue_ game board. Sara recognizes the Professor Plum and Miss Scarlet game pieces that have represented the two of them in the past. He stands when Sara enters the room. "Please tell me we're not in _Mansfield Park_ ," he pleads. "I couldn't get through that one, and I don't want to be a character named Fanny."

She smiles at him. "You're in luck. This is _Northanger Abbey_."

Music from the reception downstairs floats up to the loft. It's "Dream a Little Dream of Me." Neal steps forward and pulls Sara into a slow dance. "Does that make me the naive Miss Morland?"

Sara sways with him to the music. "No, I can't call you naive. But you do have a stellar imagination."

He gives her a wicked grin and glances toward the bed.

"Well, yes, but that isn't what I meant. You think on your feet, and there's no challenge you can't talk your way out of."

"If I'm all talk, then how can you trust that I'm telling the truth when I say I love you?"

"Even though you could flirt with a plant, I can see behind the charmer. I know the real Neal Caffrey."

He stops dancing. "I'll be right back." Neal walks onto the patio and returns with a plant. "You're looking luminously green today," Neal murmurs to the plant. "You've never smelled lovelier, and that planter really brings out the highlights in your leaves."

Sara fakes a dramatic gasp. "I'm not going to share you with a rosemary plant."

He places the plant on the table. "Then I probably shouldn't tell you about my evergreen collection." He stands beside her and confides, "It's only harmless flirting. I'd read that plants respond to being talked to and praised."

The setting shifts, and now they're walking in a town that Sara thinks she recognizes. It's Bath, the place where the main characters of _Northanger Abbey_ met. It's also on the itinerary for her vacation with Neal in England. "I know," she says, responding to his comment about the plants. "I can tell when you're playing and when you're being real. What we have is real."

"Some might say I'm not good at reality," Neal says. "I escaped it to be a conman and thief."

"I'd say you invented a new reality. And then did it again to work for White Collar and become a PhD candidate."

"Does that make me seem flighty?" Neal asks. Before Sara can answer he adds, "And no flight-risk jokes. I'm being serious. Can you see yourself settling for someone who's still figuring out who he is and what he wants to be when he grows up?"

"As if I have things figured out?" Sara protests. "And I'm not in a hurry. We can take time to figure out where we're going. The important thing is that we both want to go in the same direction."

#

Sara opened her eyes and stretched. Neal still sat beside her on the plane, reading _The Mysteries of Udolpho_. Sara laughed when she saw the title. "Where did you get that?" she asked.

"Mozzie gave it to me." Neal put the book down. "Sweet dreams?"

"We were characters in _Northanger Abbey_ this time, ones who loved novels like the one you're reading."

"Do you have any idea why you've been having Jane Austen dreams recently?"

Sara pondered the question. "There's the fact that we're going to visit Bath and other areas connected with Jane this week, but I think it goes deeper than that." She took a sip of water. "When Aunt Celeste took me in…"

Neal nodded, knowing that this referred to the time after Sara's mother died.

"It didn't feel like we had anything in common. We had a hard time connecting with each other. Well, for a while there I had a hard time connecting with _anyone_ , but we both wanted to have something we could talk about other than our shared grief. One day Celeste admitted that she'd never read any of Jane's novels, and so she didn't follow when her friends made _Pride and Prejudice_ references."

"Had you read them?"

"I hadn't," Sara said. "So we bought _Pride and Prejudice_ as an audiobook and listened to it together. We were hooked from the beginning, and surprised by the humor. It was a revelation that something considered literature could actually be light and amusing. We enjoyed it so much that when we finished, we listened to the rest of the novels. The stories and our conversations about them are the main bright spot from that time in my life, and I still consider the books comfort reads."

"Was it the wedding and proposals that sent your subconscious in the direction of classic romances?" Neal asked.

"That's what I thought at first," Sara answered. "But then I realized it's more about a desire for stability. Women in the Regency era needed to marry well to have security, because there weren't many career options open to them."

"The dreams were inspired by your job situation?"

"I've been stressed about the outsourcing rumors," Sara admitted.

"And the dreams cast you as the heroes," Neal noted. "The financially independent men."

"I suspect part of the message from my subconscious was that I need to take control of my situation. I'm going to start actively looking for another job."

"And what's the rest of the message?"

"While I need to be practical about my career, I should let myself be a romantic when it comes to you."

Neal smiled. "Follow your heart?"

"Right. This weekend showed me that there are many variations of happy endings. Angela's version is different from Henry's, or from Maya's." Sara leaned forward and brushed a kiss on Neal's lips. "In each dream, you were my Jane Austen-approved match. Being with you is my happy ending."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Easter eggs from the Wanted and Most Wanted episode include the first Bon Jovi song title, the line "We need to talk about Neal," and the convertible.
> 
> A shout out to StoryWriter55 who'd tweeted that Neal could flirt with a plant. That was an irresistible idea.
> 
> The chapter title is inspired by this line from Northanger Abbey: “If adventures will not befall a young lady in her own village, she must seek them abroad.” 
> 
> On a visit to San Juan Island in 2012, I saw two orcas swim right up to Lime Kiln Point, and that experience inspired me as I wrote this chapter.
> 
> Thanks for coming along to San Juan Island. Silbrith will soon be posting "Lost at Sea" which picks up the story thread with Neal and Sara in England.


End file.
